It's that Christmasy time of year again.
You know what that means; classic stop motion Christmas specials on TV, chefs teaching tasty recipes for Christmas dinner, carolers visiting your door to sing joyful songs to warm hearts, churches opening up the collection boxes so that the poor in their neighborhoods can have a nice Christmas.
But there's something else that comes with the yuletide season, something that never fails to rear it's ugly head; commercialism.
Every Christmas we're bombarded by advertisements shouting at us to buy, buy, buy. We're told that we must find that "perfect gift" to make out loved ones happy. We pour our resources into material things, as though that is what true love is all about. We suffer from horrible stress.
Now, there is nothing wrong with buying and giving gifts, but this commercialism is distracting us from the real reason for the season; Christ the Lord.
Portland pastor Rick McKinley has had enough. He has started a new movement amongst Christians. It's name? The Advent Conspiracy.
The purpose of the Advent Conspiracy is to take a stake to the heart of Christmas commercialism. Instead of spending all our money on gifts for friends and family, Pastor McKinley is urging us to donate that money to the poor and homeless. Change your whole attitude about giving at Christmas, he says.
Catholics, are we going to sit by, or are we going to lend our own hand as servants of the Lord to this effort?
I say, let's do it!
Fine nice little gifts that really mean something, and then give a real gift to those who need it most. My prayers are with Pastor McKinley and all those who support the Advent Conspiracy.
Are you game?
It's like the song "Give this Christmas Away."
ReplyDeleteAnd you can't have Christmas without Christ. Literally.
I am reminded fo those retarded Jared commercials.
ReplyDelete"He went to Jared." puh.
My folks usually do an angle tree or send out a shoebox every year. Giving is so much more fun than getting.